Three Bills seeking the amendment of Federal Universities of Agriculture Act 2010 to establish Federal University of Agriculture in Ute -Okpu Delta State, Oyo State and Enugu State on Friday sailed public hearing.
Speaking shortly before declaring the Public Hearing opened Speaker of House of Representatives RT. Hon.Abbas Tajudeen said it is imperative to fast-track the Federal Government’s drive for food security in view of the threatening global food insecurity.
Tajudeen spoke through the Deputy Speaker House of Representatives Hon. Benjamin Kalu who represented him at the public hearing. He said that “to fast-track the Federal Government’s drive for food security, modern and mechanized farming and diversification of the economy” call for “more specialized agricultural institutions that are innovative and research-based,”
He said “this understanding informed the listing of agricultural reforms in the 10th House’s Legislative Agenda to address the nation’s high cost of food items.”
“We believe that if these Bills are well processed with robust inputs from you, they would strengthen the nation’s quest for food sufficiency and socio-economic development of our country”, he added.
The six other Bills whose public hearing were heard on Friday sought the amendment of Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria Act, 2004 to pave way for the establishment of Agricultural Colleges and Institutes in Ekiti, Bauchi, Enugu, Delta, Nasarawa and Ogun States
While welcoming the host communities including dignitaries from Ute -Okpu Kingdom Delta State led by His Royal Majesty Obi of Ute- Okpu, Obi Solomon Chukwuka I, JP , the Speaker explained that public hearing was designed to provide the stakeholders a platform to make inputs into the nine Bills.
“Let me state that public hearing is a key legislative programme designed by the parliament to ensure that the feelings, sentiments and aspirations of the critical stakeholders and other members of the public are reflected in the laws made by the legislature,” he said.
” It also helps the parliament to be better resourced for better-quality laws. Accordingly, I urge you to ensure that your contributions are profound , relevant and vital to help guide the House to administer the right legislative actions to improve on these nine agriculture related Bills,’ he enjoined.
During the public hearing two issues of concern raised by the Federal ministry of Agriculture relating to land and employment opportunities were resolved as Ute-Okpu Community has donated more than enough parcels of land including a river required for the University.
